How Much Oil for Frying Chicken
Here’s a cheat sheet that won’t require a PhD in fluid dynamics. For four chicken thighs in a 10-inch skillet, use 1.5 to 2 cups of oil. For a whole cut-up chicken (8 pieces), go with 4 to 5 cups in a 12-inch pot.
How to Cook Fried Chicken Using Olive Oil: Comprehensive Guide
But here’s a shocking fact: the type of oil matters more than the amount. Peanut oil has a high smoke point and doesn’t soak in as much—so you use less volume because it fries faster. Canola works fine, but it’s thirstier. Oh, and if you use olive oil, you’re not making fried chicken; you’re making a $30 experiment that tastes like regret.
The “Pasta Pot” Trick You’ve Never Tried
Want to use even less oil? Grab a heavy-bottomed pot that’s narrow, not wide—like a small Dutch oven or a deep saucier. A narrow surface means the oil stays deeper with fewer cups. I once used a 6-inch-wide pot with just 2 cups of oil to fry a whole chicken leg, and it was pure magic.
The catch? You can only fry one or two pieces at a time. But here’s the surprise: fried chicken is better when you cook it in batches anyway. Crowding the pot drops the oil temperature so fast your chicken turns into a steamed dumpling. So yes, use less oil, cook in waves, and your patience will be rewarded with a crust that sounds like a highway accident when you bite it.
Perfect Breaded Chicken: Oil Amounts For Frying | CyCookery